By Rosario Ruiz
The Rosca de Reyes (three kings bread) is a centuries-old tradition that came to Mexico during the Conquest. The circular shape of the rosca symbolizes God’s infinite love for mankind, and the crystallized fruit represents the jewels of the three kings.
In the popular tradition, families gather on January 6 to break the rosca, and the one who gets the monito (the representation of the baby Jesus) baked into the bread must invite all those present for tamales on February 2, Candelaria Day.
The traditional rosca is made with crystallized fruits, quince jelly, vanilla crust, and figs, but there are many varieties of roscas, limited only by the imaginations of those who make them and the regions where they are made. We can taste roscas filled with pastry cream, chocolate, and other flavored fillings; perfumed with orange zest or anise; made with chocolate or vanilla crust; including cherries or powdered sugar; made with a puff pastry base … There are even roscas that evoke characters from popular culture and which, instead of the traditional white plastic monito, have cartoon figures.
Here are the five favorite suggestions of the Atención team to enjoy a delicious rosca this January 6 with your family:
- Panadería San Sebastián: a bakery that over the years has become a favorite of many San Miguel locals for its unique flavor. Their rosca is scented with orange and is Juan’s favorite.
- Pastelería Fertrín: in this bakery, you can find delicious roscas made with puff pastry and filled with different flavors, but Betty’s favorite is the one filled with cream cheese.
- La Comer: yes, it’s a big chain, but Mauricio’s favorite rosca is the one you find at La Comer for its fluffiness and delicious orange flavor. Plus, the dolls are collectible.
- La Buena Vida: Mariana likes the rosca from this place because of the flavor of the bread; plus it has a gourmet touch that you will surely love.
- City Market: a few days ago I tried a rosca from here that looked more like a Spanish roscón. I liked it because it had chocolate sprinkles on the bread, was covered with powdered sugar, and had cherries and meringues—something completely different!
For you, what is the best rosca of San Miguel?
